Oakland museum to host first-ever flashlight tour

Oakland, California – Ever wonder what it’s like to walk the hallways of a museum at night? You can find out starting this Friday at the Oakland Aviation Museum.

The museum has partnered with “Gussethunters West Coast” to offer the flashlight tours of the interior of the museum, as well as the grands and the rare Short Solent Flying Boat. This is the first time in the building’s 83-year existence that flashlight tours have been offered, museum officials noted.

The tour starts at 8:30 pm at the front entrance of the museum, starting July 19. Flashlights can be purchased for $3 each. Cost of the tour is $12 for adults and $8 for Under 18.

Space is limited so pre-bookings are required. Contact Ian Wright at 510-638-7100 for reservations.

As director of operations, Wright has experienced the tour himself and gave it a 14 out of 10.

“The way the flashlight beams hit the planes gives the whole museum a completely different feel than when you tour through the day.” Wright said.

The tour takes around 90 minutes and includes the Naval, Amilea Earhart, Doolittle and Engine rooms. A special treat is the tour of the Short Solent MkIII Flying boat.

“This flying boat is great in the daylight but at amazing in the dark,” said docent Ellis Byrd.

Byrd has hosted similar tours in Ohio for the past 8 years. “People love these tours and now we are able to bring this to the museum.”

Jennifer Hosel is the third member of the night staff. Hosel has hosted tours on the USS Hornet for the past two years and is excited to start the museum tours.